Board Resource Guide
Tools for Your Talent

Most board members can use all the help they can get when it comes to understanding the rules, laws, and other factors that guide how they will help govern their community. Senior board members are a terrific source of information, as is a competent, experienced property manager. Building support staff also bring a great deal to the table in terms of hands-on knowledge and institutional memory. But there are other resources available to help boards—both new and well-seasoned—help their building communities thrive.

The Mayor’s Office and 311

It will surprise exactly no one that there is not, in fact, a dedicated phone line for co-op and condo boards and board members to reach Mayor Bill de Blasio's office to state concerns and air grievances. But that doesn't mean boards must stay mute. The city's 311 system allows customers to call one easy-to-remember number to access all kinds of information about city government services—including housing related ones. All calls to 311 are answered by a live operator, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offer immediate access to translation services in over 170 languages. If an operator can't answer your question themselves, they will direct you to the appropriate office or agency. That said, if you absolutely insist on contacting the Mayor's office directly, you can log on to www.nyc.gov/mayor for phone and email information.

The Buildings Department

The purpose of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is to ensure the safe and lawful use of both commercial and residential properties by enforcing the city’s building and electrical codes, zoning resolutions, and state labor and multiple dwelling laws. The DOB also maintains a massive online trove of information on everything from building safety to how to find licensed professionals, as well as the department's annual conference, and a host of educational offerings throughout the year. To access that and more, visit the department's website at www.nyc.gov/dob.

NYC has the biggest metro system in the country and that has been a great contributor to the city's growth and power. However, the Big Apple is now faced with aging infrastructure, some dating back to the 1930s. With NYC's population increasing at record levels each year, overcrowding is straining the decaying subway system. As always, there will be plenty of opportunities to network with industry leaders and learn from top executives. For information, visit www.bisnow.com.

CAI Webinar: Eyes in the Sky: Using Drones in Your Community Association

Over the last few years drones have become more prevalent in community associations. For engineers—and now association boards, managers, and management companies—drones have become their “eyes in the sky.” From the safety of the ground, licensed pilots carefully maneuver drones to inspect roofs, home and building facades, construction sites, and anything else that can be seen from above within your community. Not only do drones provide pictures and videos, they also can be equipped with special thermal imaging cameras to help identify hidden moisture and heat loss. Learn all about this emerging technology and how to use it for your community! For information, visit www.caionline.org.

Benchmarking is coming to buildings from 25,000-50,000 sq. feet. Find out your options, and use this opportunity to cut your fuel, electricity and water expenses. For information, visit www.bigapplecai.org.

In this 2-session class, attorney Marc Luxemburg and property manager Gregory Carlson examine all aspects of operating cooperatives. The class is limited to board members of housing cooperatives. It is jointly sponsored by CNYC, the Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives and Condominiums and the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives, each of whose members attend at the member rate. Advanced registration is required. A light supper is served in the break. The cost is $125 per person if your cooperative is a member of CNYC; ARC or FNYHC, $200 for non-members. Pre- reserve, by phone (212) 496- 7400 or e-mail to workshops@CNYC.coop. Payment sent to CNYC at 250 West 57 Street, Suite 730, NYC 10107 confirms your registration. There is a surcharge of $15 for late payment.

In this 2-session class, attorney Marc Luxemburg and property manager Gregory Carlson examine all aspects of operating cooperatives. The class is limited to board members of housing cooperatives. It is jointly sponsored by CNYC, the Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives and Condominiums and the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives, each of whose members attend at the member rate. Advanced registration is required. A light supper is served in the break. The cost is $125 per person if your cooperative is a member of CNYC; ARC or FNYHC, $200 for non-members. Pre- reserve, by phone (212) 496- 7400 or e-mail to workshops@CNYC.coop. Payment sent to CNYC at 250 West 57 Street, Suite 730, NYC 10107 confirms your registration. There is a surcharge of $15 for late payment.

Improving cash flow while going green has never been easier! Discover the solutions and benefits of improving your existing building systems by utilizing the appropriate solutions to update the water and mechanical systems in your commercial or multi-family building. Learn how going green helps you gain the benefits of more efficient equipment, lower utility and maintenance costs, increased property values, and improved community reputation—all while helping protect the environment.​ For information, visit www.caionline.org.

Learn about the latest building services from more than 300 exhibitors, Attend educational seminars, get free advice from industry experts, and network with your peers at this leading real estate trade show in New York. For information and to register, visit www.coopexpo.com.

News

2/21/2018
Manhattan apartments haven’t been a great investment over the last decade - The Real Deal

2/21/2018
Manhattan apartments haven’t been a great investment over the last decade - The Real Deal

If you bought a Manhattan apartment in 2008, chances are it was a poor investment.
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2/21/2018
Is this what Rafael Viñoly’s Upper East Side condo on stilts will look like? - Curbed

2/21/2018
Is this what Rafael Viñoly’s Upper East Side condo on stilts will look like? - Curbed

Though there hasn’t been any significant construction progress at the site of Rafael Viñoly Architects’s Upper East Side condo, YIMBY has now scored what it claims to be the first rendering for that project located at 249 East 62nd Street.
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Speaking of bright lights: Back in 2015, five penthouse units on the top six floors of The Charles, a 32-story luxury condo tower at 1355 First Ave., were sold to two unidentified but “related” families for a combined $58.6 million.
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City Council is demanding answers from Mayor Bill de Blasio as to why he abruptly canceled plans to provide $43.5 million in funding for a 163-affordable unit in Halletts Point that would have included funding for repairs at an adjacent New York City Housing Authority development, reports the NY Post.
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The new resident at a West Village building teeming with celebrities is a Monaco-born billionaire.
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2/16/2018
Opinion: Asbestos scandal shows New Yorkers are at risk - Crain's New York Business

2/16/2018
Opinion: Asbestos scandal shows New Yorkers are at risk - Crain's New York Business

Just days ago, the New York City Department of Investigation announced the arrest of 17 people for falsifying inspection documents for asbestos for 40 properties in Manhattan and on Staten Island.
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2/16/2018
It's still possible to buy a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for under $1 million - Brick Underground

2/16/2018
It's still possible to buy a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for under $1 million - Brick Underground

The median apartment sales price in Manhattan is over a million dollars, and the bulk of the available apartments out there are studios and one and two bedrooms.
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Kimberly Lewis arrived in New York in 2004 as a student at the Pratt Institute. Ms. Lewis, who is from New Hampshire, lived in the dorms and after graduation settled into a rental in a mid-rise brick co-op building in Kensington, Brooklyn.
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2/15/2018
Waldorf-Astoria is not for sale - The Real Deal

2/15/2018
Waldorf-Astoria is not for sale - The Real Deal

That’s according to the CEO of Hilton Worldwide Holdings, which manages the iconic New York City hotel on behalf of Anbang Insurance Group.
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2/15/2018
The New York City Apartment of Late Filmmaker Jonathan Demme Sold for $2.4 Million - Variety

2/15/2018
The New York City Apartment of Late Filmmaker Jonathan Demme Sold for $2.4 Million - Variety

The longtime New York City apartment of late and lauded filmmaker Jonathan Demme was sold by his widow, Joanne Howard, for $2.4 million.
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2/15/2018
NYC’s most expensive townhouse sets new record - NY Post

2/15/2018
NYC’s most expensive townhouse sets new record - NY Post

Ukrainian-born, Moscow-raised billionaire Len Blavatnik has paid a record $90 million for an Upper East Side mansion, sources told the Post.
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The condo conversion of a former Clinton Hill church and adjoining Parish Hall and school building received the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s approval on Tuesday.
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2/14/2018
Opinion: If the mayor didn't raise property taxes, who did? - Crain's New York Business

2/14/2018
Opinion: If the mayor didn't raise property taxes, who did? - Crain's New York Business

During a recent radio appearance, Mayor Bill de Blasio said—not for the first time—that he has not raised property taxes. But the property tax levy, which is the total amount the city aims to collect and which the city alone determines, has jumped to $27.7 billion from $20.1 billion when he took office four years ago.
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2/13/2018
Nexus plans condo building at site of gas explosion in East Village - Curbed

2/13/2018
Nexus plans condo building at site of gas explosion in East Village - Curbed

Nearly three years after an explosion leveled three buildings on Second Avenue and killed two people, Nexus Development Group has filed plans for a seven-story condo project on its site.
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2/13/2018
The Go-for-Broke Renovation - NY Times

2/13/2018
The Go-for-Broke Renovation - NY Times

In any renovation, there is the dream and then there is the reality — and the two are often worlds apart. Such was the case when Josh Lapidus and Tara Consi bought a three-story brick townhouse in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, built in the 1890s, with plans to add a fourth floor for a new master suite.
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The New York Cooperator

Cooperator.com is an online edition of The New York Cooperator newspaper. The publication serves the co-op and condo community with thousands of free articles on management, finance, maintenance and more...